Metropolitan Transportation Authority Careers

JOB TITLE:                   Advanced IT Portfolio/Project Manager - Scrum Master

SALARY RANGE:        $124,297 - $146,711

HAY POINTS:                634

DEPT/DIV:                     IT/Agile Application Development

SUPERVISOR:              Product Director, Agile Delivery

LOCATION:                   2 Broadway New York, NY 

HOURS OF WORK:     9:00am-5:30pm (7.5 hours/day) or as required           

This position is eligible for telework which is currently two days per week. New hires are eligible to apply 30 days after their effective date of hire.         

Summary:

The purpose of this role is to direct resources to achieve project objectives on time and within budget and to ensure the effective integration of new systems and technologies for larger, more complex IT projects, following agile best practices within a fast-paced agile environment. This role is pivotal in ensuring the seamless integration of agile practices across multiple teams and departments, driving the successful delivery of high-impact software products. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in agile methodologies, particularly in scaled agile frameworks (such as SAFe) and will be adept at fostering a collaborative environment that encourages continuous improvement and high performance. As a Scrum Master, you will be responsible for guiding multiple cross-functional teams through the agile process, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, and facilitating effective communication among stakeholders. Your role will include leading all Scrum/Kanban ceremonies, removing impediments, and mentoring team members to enhance their agile capabilities. You will also play a crucial role in working closely with Product Owners to refine and prioritize the product backlog, ensuring that the team delivers high-quality solutions that meet customer needs. This role has advanced knowledge of agile methodology, Scrum & Kanban principles, and software development processes, along with experience in project management, software development, and team leadership.

Critical Skills Required:

• Advanced Knowledge of Agile Methodologies: Extensive experience with Scrum, Kanban, and other agile frameworks, with a particular emphasis on agile at scale models such as SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), LeSS, or Disciplined Agile Delivery.
• Product Management Acumen: Strong understanding of product management principles, including backlog prioritization, roadmapping, and working closely with Product Owners to align product vision with team deliverables.
• Leadership and Mentorship: Proven ability to lead, coach, and mentor cross-functional teams in agile practices, fostering a culture of self-organization, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Complex Project Management: Demonstrated success in managing and coordinating complex, large-scale projects, ensuring on-time delivery within budget and scope.
• Communication and Facilitation: Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively navigate and resolve conflicts, and build strong relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Problem Solving and Impediment Removal: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate and proactively address challenges that may impede team progress.
• Well-versed in Agile tools: The ideal candidate for this Scrum Master role should possess extensive experience and proficiency in using industry-standard agile tools that support the planning, execution, and tracking of agile projects.
  • Jira or Equivalent Agile Management Tool: The candidate must have in-depth experience with Jira or similar agile project management tools (e.g., Azure DevOps, Rally, VersionOne). They should be proficient in setting up and customizing Scrum & Kanban boards, creating and managing epics, user stories, tasks, and sub-tasks. The candidate should also be skilled in configuring workflows, managing sprints, tracking velocity, and generating detailed reports and dashboards to monitor team progress and performance.
  • Confluence or Equivalent Documentation and Collaboration Tool: The candidate should be well-versed in using Confluence or similar tools (e.g., SharePoint, Notion) for documentation, knowledge management, and team collaboration. They should be able to create and maintain comprehensive project documentation, including sprint goals, retrospective notes, release plans, and other key project artifacts. The ability to effectively organize and share information to ensure alignment across teams is essential.
  •  Agile Lifecycle Management (ALM) Tools: Familiarity with Agile Lifecycle Management tools (e.g., CA Agile Central, Atlassian Portfolio, or similar)
  • Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Tools: Understanding of CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, Bamboo, GitLab CI/CD). Ideal candidate should have enough knowledge to understand how these tools integrate with the agile workflow and how they can support the team in delivering incremental improvements quickly and efficiently.
  • Agile Metrics and Reporting Tools: Experience with tools that offer advanced reporting and analytics capabilities (e.g., Jira Insights, Tableau, Power BI) is essential. The candidate should be able to generate and interpret key agile metrics such as burndown charts, velocity, cycle time, and cumulative flow diagrams to provide insights into team performance and identify areas for improvement.
  • Communication and Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with communication and collaboration tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom is vital. The candidate should know how to leverage these tools to facilitate communication, conduct remote stand-ups, sprint planning meetings, and retrospectives, and ensure that all team members are engaged and informed, regardless of their location.

Certifications Preferred:

• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM) Certification
• SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) Certification
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification

This role requires a Scrum Master who is not only technically proficient but also a strategic thinker, capable of driving significant improvements in team performance and product quality.

Responsibilities:

1.       Organizes and facilitates key Scrum events for larger-sized projects, such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, system demos, and sprint retrospectives, ensuring they are productive and focused.

2.       Facilitates and coordinates the Scrum and agile development processes for larger software development teams, ensuring that the team is working productively and meeting goals.

3.       Recommends specific agile frameworks (e.g., agile XP) for specific software development projects.

4.       Leads very complex and important software projects that abide by agile methodologies.

5.       Provides agile expertise to teams and less experienced Scrum colleagues. Manages Scrum boards.

6.       Leads and supports the product owner and product team using agile methodologies (e.g., Lean, DevOps, Scrum) to meet deliverables within budget and on time. Develops sprints and manages resources and timetables via agile ceremonies. 

7.       Coaches and mentors’ teams in adopting agile principles and practices, guiding them in self-organization and cross-functionality.

8.       Co-leads the organization and facilitation of ART events, such as Program Increment (PI) Planning, Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshops, and system demos, ensuring they are effective and productive.

9.       Analyzes metrics and reporting related to team and program performance, helping stakeholders assess progress and make data-driven decisions.

10.    Analyzes and develops reports on development against expectations.

11.    May track, monitor, and develop reports on product development against expectations to determine effectiveness and profit. Establishes mechanisms to track the success of product-team operations and to ensure that business benefits are realized.

12.    Promotes collaboration within the team and fosters a culture of open communication, trust, and transparency.

13.    Facilitates continuous improvement by encouraging the team to reflect on their processes and practices during Sprint Retrospectives and by implementing changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

14.    Participates in the development of the RFP/RFI process, leveraging the team to best meet business needs.

15.    Conducts feasibility, risk, regulatory compliance, and ROI analyses for proposed product developments as needed. Presents recommendation related to feasibility.

16.    Ensures all deliverables and commitments are met and the product complies with relevant standards, laws, regulations, and methodologies.

17.    Establishes or clarifies development scope and business objectives with relationship managers and/or business clients to ensure quality, accuracy, and delivery time.

18.    Interfaces with clients and management to manage expectations, provide status updates on development, and discuss concerns. Is accountable for ensuring resolution of concerns/issues.

19.    Integrates the work of large teams and multiple vendors to deliver product success and ensure benefits realization.

20.    Conducts or assists in stage gate reviews with key stakeholders and sponsors. 

21.    Performs other duties and tasks as assigned.

22.    Observes the work performed by the contractor.

23.    Reviews invoices and approving them if the work has contractual standards.

24.    Addresses performance issues with the contractor when possible.

25.    Escalates issues to other parties as needed.

26.    Abides with MTA attendance expectations and requirements by attending regularly and reliably.

27.    Provides technical advice to project teams and mentors less experienced staff to foster talent development.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Technical Skills

• Advanced in using Scrum framework and Scrum principals.
• Advanced in using agile methodology.
• Advanced in project management.
• Advanced in implementing agile standards for software development.
• Advanced in sprint planning, running daily stand-ups, and sprint reviews.
• Advanced in product and sprint backlog management.
• Advanced in sprint demonstrations and sprint retrospective.

Behavioral Skills

• Advanced active listening, attention to detail, customer service, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced in work independently and strategically.
• Adept expertise in identifying and analyzing risks and developing effective mitigation strategies.
• Advanced technical knowledge and diverse skillset to understand various technologies, systems, and potential risks.
• Adept critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Expert in interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with both technical and non-technical peers.
• Advanced experience with managing multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and impact.
• Advanced hands-on experience with related tools.
• Advanced experience with working under pressure and meet deadlines individually and collaboratively. Thinks logically, assesses problems, and is results oriented.
• Advanced in identifying complex business and technology risks and associated vulnerabilities.
• Advanced in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, to interact with team members, customers, management, and support personnel (technical and non-technical).
• Advanced in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees at all levels within the organization, and with both internal and external customers.

Competencies:

Education and Experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 8 years of relevant experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Experience: 8 years
• Certification(s): Requires at least one certification in the current platform/domain/technical skill. Possible certifications could be, but are not limited to:

OTHER INFORMATION: 

Pursuant to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the "Commission")             

Equal Employment Opportunity

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including with respect to veteran status and individuals with disabilities.  

The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.